Methods and systems for instrument tracking and navigation within luminal networks

Abstract

Methods and systems for instrument tracking and navigation are described. In one embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable storage medium has stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause a processor of a device to at least receive position sensor data from at least one position sensor tracking an instrument positioned within a luminal network, determine a first estimated state of the instrument derived from the position sensor data, determine a second estimated state of the instrument based on the position sensor data and at least one other type of position data, determine a location transform based on the second estimated state and the first estimated state, adjust the first estimated state based on the location transform to determine a third estimated state of the instrument, and output the third estimated state of the instrument.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause a processor of a device to at least:
 receive position sensor data from at least one position sensor tracking an instrument positioned within a first portion of a luminal network;   determine a first estimated state of the instrument derived from the position sensor data;   determine a second estimated state of the instrument based on the position sensor data and at least one other type of position data;   determine a location transform based on the second estimated state and the first estimated state;   adjust the first estimated state based on the location transform to determine a third estimated state of the instrument; and   output the third estimated state of the instrument.   
     
     
         2 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:
 determine the location transform at a transition point between a first portion of the luminal network and a second portion of the luminal network; and   output the third estimated state of the instrument when the instrument is positioned within the second portion of the luminal network.   
     
     
         3 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to output the second estimated state when the instrument is positioned within the first portion of the luminal network. 
     
     
         4 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:
 obtain a preoperative model corresponding to a mapped portion of the luminal network; and   determine the transition point based on the preoperative model.   
     
     
         5 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 4 , wherein the transition point is determined to be at a threshold length of a last segment of the preoperative model or a distal end of a last segment of the preoperative model. 
     
     
         6 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:
 determine the location transform over a range of positions preceding a transition point between a first portion of the luminal network and a second portion of the luminal network; and   output the third estimated state of the instrument when the instrument is positioned within the second portion of the luminal network.   
     
     
         7 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the location transform comprises a function. 
     
     
         8 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to display a visual indicia of the third estimated state of the instrument on a display. 
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:
 determine a pointing direction of the instrument based on the third estimated state of the instrument; and   display the pointing direction on a display.   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:
 receive, while the instrument is positioned in a second portion of the luminal network, second position sensor data from the at least one position sensor, the second portion of the luminal network being outside the first portion of the luminal network;   determine, while the instrument is positioned within the second portion of the luminal network, a fourth estimated position of the instrument based on the second position sensor data;   adjust the fourth estimated position based on the location transform to determine a fifth estimated position of the instrument; and   output the fifth estimated position of the instrument.   
     
     
         11 . A method for navigating an instrument within a luminal network of a body, the method comprising:
 receiving position sensor data from at least one position sensor tracking the instrument positioned within a first portion of the luminal network;   determining a first estimated state of the instrument derived from the position sensor data;   determining a second estimated state of the instrument based on at least one other type of additional position data;   determining a location transform based on the first estimated state and the second estimated state;   adjusting the first estimated state based on the location transform to determine a third estimated state of the instrument; and   outputting the third estimated state of the instrument.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining the location transform at a transition point between a first portion of the luminal network and a second portion of the luminal network; and   outputting the third estimated state of the instrument when the instrument is positioned within the second portion of the luminal network.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising outputting the second estimated state when the instrument is positioned within the first portion of the luminal network. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 obtaining a preoperative model corresponding to a mapped portion of the luminal network; and   determining the transition point based on the preoperative model.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the transition point is determined to be at a threshold length of a last segment of the preoperative model or a distal end of a last segment of the preoperative model. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the location transform comprises a vector. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the vector is indicative of a distance between the second estimated state and the first estimated state at the transition point. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the location transform comprises a function. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining the location transform over a range of positions preceding a transition point between a first portion of the luminal network and a second portion of the luminal network; and   outputting the third estimated state of the instrument when the instrument is positioned within the second portion of the luminal network.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving, while the instrument is positioned in a second portion of the luminal network, second position sensor data from the at least one position sensor, the second portion of the luminal network being outside the first portion of the luminal network;   determining, while the instrument is positioned within the second portion of the luminal network, a fourth estimated position of the instrument based on the second position sensor data;   adjusting the fourth estimated position based on the location transform to determine a fifth estimated position of the instrument; and   outputting the fifth estimated position of the instrument.